Residents in the Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest attendance rates at cinemas (76%), art galleries (46%) and classical music concerts (14%). Northern Territory residents had the highest attendance rate for zoological parks and aquariums (53%) (Table 1).

Attendance rates for people living in the six state capital cities were generally higher when compared with people living in the balance of state/territory. The largest differences were for people attending cinemas (71% and 61% respectively), botanic gardens (38% and 31% respectively) and zoological parks and aquariums (39% and 33% respectively) (Table 2).

ATTENDANCE AT CULTURAL VENUES AND EVENTS, By region

AGE AND SEX

People aged 15-17 years were the most likely to attend at least one of the cultural venues and events included in the survey, with an attendance rate of 97%. Attendance rates at at least one cultural venue or event decreased with age with the lowest attendance rate (64%) recorded for those aged 75 years and over. Attendance rates for females were significantly higher than for males at all cultural venues and events excluding archives, where the attendance rates were similar. The venue with the highest attendance rate for both females and males was cinemas (70% and 64% respectively) (Table 3).

Attendance rates at cultural venues and events(a), By age and sex

ATTENDANCE RATE (%)

Age group (years)

Males

Females

Persons

15-17

94.0

99.4

96.5

18-24

91.7

94.4

93.0

25-34

89.7

94.0

91.8

35-44

87.8

92.0

89.9

45-54

81.9

87.1

84.6

55-64

77.7

85.7

81.7

65-74

71.0

79.2

75.3

75 and over

60.8

67.4

64.4

Total

83.3

88.2

85.8

(a) At the 13 selected venues and events included in the survey.

HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION

Attendance at cultural venues and events is associated with a person's age and the composition of the household in which they live. People in households with dependent children recorded the highest attendance rates at zoological parks and aquariums (48% for couple families and 41% for one-parent families) and cinemas (75% for couple families and 78% for one-parent families). In contrast, people in couple only or lone person households recorded the highest attendance rate for classical music concerts (11% for both) (Table 4).

COUNTRY OF BIRTH

People born overseas in a main English-speaking country were most likely to attend at least one venue or event (91%), followed by people born in Australia (87%). Those born in other countries were least likely to attend at least one venue or event (78%) (Table 5).

LABOUR FORCE STATUS

Employed people had significantly higher attendance rates compared to unemployed people at art galleries (28% and 23% respectively), zoological parks and aquariums (41% and 33%), classical music concerts (9% and 6%), theatre performances (18% and 14%), musicals and operas (18% and 11%) and other performing arts (19% and 14%). The most attended venues or events in the previous 12 months by unemployed people were cinemas (74%) and libraries (42%). These venues were also the most attended for those people not in the labour force (attendance rates of 52% and 37% respectively) (Table 6).

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

People whose highest educational attainment was year 10 or below were least likely to have attended at least one of the venues and events, with an attendance rate of 73%, compared with an attendance rate of at least 87% for higher levels of attainment. With the exception of archives, people who had completed year 12 had significantly higher attendance rates at all the venues and events in the survey than those with attainment of year 10 or below (Table 7).

INCOME

For each of the venues and events included in the survey, with the exception of libraries, residents with equivalised gross household income in the highest quintile reported higher attendance rates than those in the lowest quintile. Generally, as gross household income decreased, so did attendance rates. People in the highest equivalised income quintile were significantly more likely to attend at least one venue or event compared with people in the lowest income quintile (attendance rates of 94% and 73% respectively) (Table 8).

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